Max Ninness, who passed away in Sydney on June 21, was one of Wauchope’s true Men of Mark.
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His death occurred after lengthy illness at age 72.
A man of quiet, studious manner, one who avoided the limelight, Max was, in life, was one of the most unheralded identities the game of rugby league has known.
And it began for him in his home town.
His parents, Frank Ninness and Doris Stanton, were as Wauchope as you can get. Frank grew up west of Beechwood on the Lower Pappinbarra and Doris on the family farm at Crosslands just adjacent to Letterewe on the outskirts of town.
Frank and Doris both attended school at Beechwood and Wauchope at the same time, before marriage and a long residency in Wauchope.
Max was very highly regarded at the highest levels of the game of rugby league. Tributes flowed freely into the Ninness family residence at Helensburgh following his death. His long and valued association and contribution to the St. George Dragons, as a player, coach and coaching mentor was the catalyst for most of them.
I want to touch on his early background.
Max was the youngest of the Ninness family. His siblings are Alan (Gaynut) and Margaret.
He had primary education at St. Josephs and secondary at both Woodlawn College in Lismore and Wauchope High. It was inevitable that he would always play rugby league and this was indeed the case.
Most kids play the game at Woodlawn, and when he returned to Wauchope for his last year at school, he was already above average.
Wauchope High won their State title (the University Shield) and the Wauchope Blues the Group 3 Under 18 title with Max in the teams. He also attained first grade experience the same year.
Max was one of a rare group of students admitted to Sydney University where he gained a degree in Physical Education. In Sydney, still a teenager, he was graded with Balmain but it was St George who secured his services. The contribution Max Ninness made to rugby league at its highest levels will be his legacy. He supported some of the games most elite names in the coaching ranks. They include Tommy Bishop, Bill Anderson, Brian Smith, David Waite, Andrew Farrar and Nathan Brown.
